Hepatic Lipidosis? Home remedy of force feeding?

[courty]

Hey, y'all I stumbled across this thread looking at more calming personal stories and suggestions regarding Hepatic Lipidosis. My cat was just given a "possible" diagnosis the other day. We had just had him in for close to a week a month and a half ago for crystal build up and once we had that taken care of for the time being we were told to change his diet to the urinary support foods made by either prescription diet or royal canine. Well, he did not like that one it. I talked to the vet several times about how he wasn't eating it or just picking at every once and a while. We tried several methods to make it more appealing but none of them worked and he became anorexic. That is what they believe led to this. I was told that since I was going to bring him home and hand feed him myself that I needed to give him at least 4-5 jars of baby food or one 8oz container of Rebound Liquid Diet. When the vet tech was handing the carrier, meds, and food to me she said that she seemed like that sounded like a lot and wen't to check with the vet. She came back out saying that what was stated before were the correct instructions. Well, that was on Monday and our check-up is tomorrow and I haven't been able to get myself to give him that much food. He wasn't eating this amount before, lost weight, and was just becoming weak. The most that I gave him was on the second day and was 152ml. He's thrown up a few of times. A couple of those times were due to the bitterness of the meds and the others were, in my opinion, from binging on these foods and liquids. I understand that they need the proteins and to be hydrated as well, but does this amount of food seem like a bit much? The vet said that he seemed hydrated enough on Monday but put him on fluids until I picked him up later in the day. He's drinking from the bowl and going to the litter box for the most part. The second day he urinated on himself unknowingly, but it wasn't much. He's letting me feed him just fine and has become a bit more mobile, but not too much. His levels were at the beginning of the high mark or in the medium-high portion of his blood work. I don't know exactly because they didn't send any of that home with me. I have made an appointment with another and more holistic vet this coming Monday for a second opinion on what I should do but thought I ask from others that are or have gone through this as well.

Thanks tons, y'all!!! This is my sweet guy and I just hate that he is having to go through all of this within such a short amount of time

Court

 

[laurag]

Well it sounds like you have a handle on the syringe feeding. I had a cat with the stomach tube thing and I also remember mixing the AD with water and using a syringe with a specific amount of food 4 times a day. The extra water will help with the dehydration which is as important as the food. She probably is tolerating it because she's hungry. She knows she's hungry but one of the things with HL is that it makes the cat anorexic. They are interested in the food but they feel so awful, it's impossible for them to eat it.

Even with the stomach tube you have to do it slowly because they will throw the food up otherwise.   In the early days Hazel ( who was 3 at the time) was very easy to feed. But as she felt better it was much more difficult. Also she had a lot of attitude anyway.  She was similarly sick. And ultimately lived to nearly 19.  Purdue University was the vet hospital that put the tube in and took it out. It was in the early 1980s--but I believe that I had to feed her this way for 6 weeks. It was a long time.  That syringe of food was enormous and I had to go very slowly. With her, I could not have imagined feeding her by mouth.

In any case, now I'm super aware if my cats fail to eat.  Stuff happens, but I sure hope I never have to do that with a cat again-especially with the squirrely one.

Keep in mind that the vet will likely want to do a blood test again to see how kitty is doing.  The stomach tube was likely recommended because of how sick she is.

 

[denice]

I know it sounds like a lot of food but my vet told me that overfeeding was actually good for this, of course you can only feed as much as your kitty is able to keep down.  I am not familiar with the Rebound I used the Hill's A/D but I assume the Rebound is a complete food.  If it is a complete food I think that would be preferable to the baby food.  Of course since you are syringe feeding you have to go with what you have success with.

Recovery from this stuff is slow but it is possible.  One of my kitties had it 3 years ago and he is still here, doing fine.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

I am also not familiar with the Rebound Liquid Diet. Most of the time cats  with HL are fed Hills A/D, which is rich in nutrients and easily goes into a syringe for feedings.  I second that if it's nutritionally complete (for cats), that is what I would think he should get, as baby food is not nutritionally complete in the long run for felines.  For a week or so it will do, but not much longer than that, as it doesn't contain liver or taurine or calcium in levels that cats needs.  (if at all)

Are you feeding in small amounts frequently.  I think that is the trick to him not throwing up.  Also, you mentioned you think he might be throwing up due to the bitterness of his pills.  Can you not give those to him WITH his food, so he doesn't taste them so much, or do they need to be given on an empty stomach?  And you mentioned he is bingeing?  Does this mean he is eating on his own?  If so, that is good, but try not to let him binge so he won't throw up.  But it's great that he has an appetite

 

[courty]

Just got home from the vet. He has lost more weight so the vet took some time with me to calculate and explain the numbers as well as try to figure out a feeding plan. She said she is hopeful because he was way showed a lot of resistance towards her this afternoon whereas the other day he could have cared less.she told me to focus on getting about 415 kcal in him but only with 6.5 oz of food. I could not make that calculation work and tried contacting her right after the office closed. She did not call me back so I went and grabbed a high calorie booster at PETsMART as well as some coconut oil. This is only for the weekend or until she calls me back tomorrow with his blood work results. I am trying to be optimistic but am also somewhat doubtful. I wish that she had taught me everything that she did today earlier this week

 

[courty]

If you all have suggestions for high calorie cat friendly foods that are in small serving sizes id love to hear them!

 

[carolina]

If you all have suggestions for high calorie cat friendly foods that are in small serving sizes id love to hear them!

courty I would put him on Hills A/D. You won't find a food with that calorie content..... That's weird ....... Hills A/D is made for this, it is palatable, easy to feed by syringe, highly digestible, and IMHO in your situation the way to go. Don't keep looking - he needs to eat. If your vet doesn't have it, DEMAND a prescription, they sell on any petsmart. With a prescription, you can buy in most vet clinics also.
Get several 0.5oz syringes, and be consistent feeding him.

Here is the feeding guide from Hills: http://www.hillspet.com/products/pd-feline-ad-caninefeline-critical-care-canned.html

By the way - I am NOT one to recommend Hills, I feed a raw diet, and I would be the last one to recommend this a brand - HOWEVER - I have fed A/D to my cats when I was in a dire situation, and it works. If I need it again (God forbid), I wouldn't be looking everywhere.

Below is a video I made a while back when I was force-feeding my cat Lucky with it, it has some tips -
Good Luck!

[VIDEO][/VIDEO]

 

[courty]

Thanks, Carolina! Your Lucky looks a lot healthier than my Charlie Murphy right now. He's not willingly swallowing the food and has thrown up twice since this afternoon. Which is more than any other day the past week. Granted, I'm feeding him a lot more than I was before. The vet actually went over calculations for what he can hold and the calories he needs daily with me today. Wish she had done that several days ago Sometimes he seems like he's doing better and others I feel like he's giving up. I told the vet today that,they had given me a can of a/d and she told me that I must be mistaken. Well, I'm not. I have it here and its dated. She also told me not to mix it with water because there is no nutritional value in that and he needs all of the calories he can get. I hope that he lasts through the weekend for us to get a second opinion. He's the best,cat that I've ever had and the first one in my grown up life that I've had to realize that putting him to sleep might have to be an option if his blood work comes back tomorrow worse than it was earlier this week

 

[courty]

Also, when they throw up do I need to give him the amount that he threw up again??????

 

[denice]

I would definitely try to get some A/D.  The A/D can be fed with a syringe without adding water, my kitty had a feeding tube and it has to be diluted to go through a feeding tube.  Some of the other pate foods would have to be diluted a little bit to go through a syringe.  I looked up the Rebound liquid and it is a complete food for the same situation.  If he is vomiting than you can try going with smaller more frequent feedings. Is he still getting the Cerenia?

 

[courty]

I was going to ask for the a/d today but I just don't know if he's going to make it y'all I woke up to him laying in the nook of my arm and chest this morning and he was just watching me. He's moaning more than I've ever heard him moan and its just breaking my heart. The vet hasn't called yet so I'm waiting to hear from her. He hasn't done anything but urinate the past few days so he could possibly be moaning from constipation, right? I hope she calls me soon because if its not that and his liver has shut down I hate to keep him in so much agony...

 

[denice]

I don't think he is at the point of the liver shutting down, it hasn't been long enough.  I know you said you have an appointment with a more holistic vet on Monday, I would ask for some Denamarin.  It really helped my cat recover from this it contains milk thistle and sam-E.  My vet who is a conventional vet gave Patches that, a holistic vet may have something else that is the same idea.

Have you considered having a feeding tube put in?  If it's a financial reason I completely understand but Patches tolerated it very well.  It made the feedings easier on both of us.  I think just from the different things I have read here there are fewer problems with vomiting.  I don't know if it's less stress from the feedings or maybe the food not being in the mouth and swallowed.

 

[antikythera]

I just wanted to post and say that this thread has been very helpful. I have a 15 year old cat that has battled obesity, diabetes and now is going through this terrible case of FHL.

We noticed that he wasn't eating his food as much as he was back in late-November. By mid-December he had stopped eating his food altogether so we immediately became concerned due to his need of a 1/2 unit of insulin every 12 hours. When he started to look very lethargic, we took him in on the 23rd. My vet was concerned at how much weight he had lost and I was given the choice of doing home treatment while we waited for the results to come back.

His liver values were high as expected and he was showing signs of yellowing, although the doctor couldn't feel anything that might suggest cancer and diagnosed it as FHL. For the last two weeks, he's been on his usual twice a day Denamarin, twice a day antihistamine/stimulant, twice a day nausea medicine, once a day antibiotic (it finished after the first week, but she's given me more for this third week), twice a day insulin, and I've been syringe feeding him every four hours, getting 2 full cans of Hills A/D in him as much as I can every 24 hours.

For the first week, he was on a once a day Sub Q and gained half a pound when I took him in for a checkup. The doctor was pleased but when I took him in a week later, he looked even more yellow and lethargic again. I'm wondering if the lack of Sub Q in the second week could be making him get worse instead of better. He has been playing with his water bowl a lot instead of drinking from it, like he is thirsty.

I have high hopes it's just a slump as he still shows interest in food -- he just won't eat it. On a rare occasion, he has nibbled on a small piece of deli meat or freeze dried food (more so the first week).

In addition, his bowel movements have been very regular in the past couple of weeks, so I'm staying optimistic that he can turn around.

Any more advice than what has already been discussed here? Also, should I be asking my doctor for another Sub Q?

 

[denice]

You could ask the vet about fluids again.  It's one of those things, that as long as there isn't a heart problem, can't hurt and they do seem to help kitties feel better.  You are doing everything that you can.  A lot of times steroids help but with the diabetes a steroid could do more harm than good.

 

[antikythera]

Thanks. I am going to ask about the fluids again. I caught him drinking out of the toilet which he has never done before. Poor guy almost fell in. It was cute and sad at the same time.

 

[pedalgirl]

Anyone here have setbacks where the baby had started eating only to regress to vomiting again (not as much)? Went from wanting 6-8 treats and nibbling at dry food to aversion again.

 

[stacyrn2012]

Hello Newbie here

I have a cat that is 16 yrs old. I also have 3 cats that were littermates. My 16 yr old has always been thin. Like a dummy, I changed their cat food abruptly. I noticed the four of them didn't like it so I started mixing it with wet at food. I would mix it and put it down and go to bed. I noticed tonight that my other three girls weren't letting her way. She has massive weight loss, no vomiting, very weak, holds her head funny. I put her in a room by herself and she ate 3/4 of a can by herself. I feel so.bad that I didn't notice the other cats were doing that to her. Now I am afraid to lose her. I just lost a cat last Sept from liver cancer and my dog one year earlier due to cancer. Since she is eating in her own a little, what would you recommend adding to her food to get that protein in and reverse whatever is going on?

image.jpeg

• stacyrn2012
• Mar 15, 2016

 

[stacyrn2012]

Here is the pic of how she holds her head. The abnormal behavior just started tonight

image.jpeg

• stacyrn2012
• Mar 15, 2016

 

[talkingpeanut]

Can you take her to a vet first thing tomorrow?  Thinking that she at least needs fluids and high calorie food/paste.

 

[artiemom]

Yes, please take her to the Vet....fluids and nutritional foods....high calorie prescription...